Sogdian to indicate a nickname or patronymic. The root bum- can be compared to Old Sanskrit bhumi ("earth, ground, soil, land"), Old Persian bumi- ("earth"), and Sogdian ß?mh ("earth, land, world").

According to turcologist Rui Chuanming, tu (?) means "earth, soil, territory," and men (?) means "entrance, faction, clan." Given the strong influence of Sogdian culture on the First Turkic Khaganate,